Foot conditioning apparatus



April 16, 1968 s. c. PEPLIN FOOT CONDITIONING APPARATUS I 2 Sheets-Sheet1 Filed Oct. 22, 1965 OFF POSITION DRYING POSITION DUSTING POSITIONECTIFIEIlj I 2 1 I i 74% I R VI L E TP N NE R EP 0 v w mC A N M E 2 S 54Fig.6.

I M v April 16, 1968 S. C. PEPLIN FOOT CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed Oct.22, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet -mink 60 INVENTOR. STEPHEN C. PEPLIN ATTORNEYUnited States Patent 3,378,909 FOOT CONDITIONING APEARATUS Stephen C.Peplin, 5071 Evergreen Drive, North Olmsted, Ghio 44070 Filed Oct. 22,1965, Ser. No. 501,793 4 (Claims. (Cl. 128266) ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE This patent discloses foot conditioning apparatus comprisingair-permeable toe-separating means and means for sequentially directingfirst air and then medicated powder to the vicinity of the toes throughthe air-permeable toeseparating means.

This invention relates to foot conditioning apparatus, and moreparticularly to foot conditioning apparatus wherein the toes aresequentially dried and then dusted with a powder.

As is known, there is a considerable amount of athletes foot and otherallied foot diseases or irritants which require treatment. Most of theseafflictions are fungus of one form or another whose growth is enhancedby moisture remaining between the toes after bathing or showering.Pcrspiration also enhances the growth of these fungi.

The conventional methods of treatment include a lying an ointment atbedtime which is washed off in the morning, the foot dried as thoroughlyas possible, followed by dustiug with a medicated foot powder of variouskinds. As is known, the foot cannot be completely dried, especiallybetween the toes, and the moisture remaining nullifies, at least inpart, the power of the foot powder in combating the fungus growth.Furthermore, the foot powder cannot be applied without spillage which,of course, is very undesirable.

Accordingly, as an overall object, the present invention seeks toprovide apparatus for conditioning the feet, especially the area betweenthe toes.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus whereby thefoot, especially the area betwen the toes is dried thoroughly andthereafter dusted with a powder.

A further object of the invention is to provide foot conditioningapparatus wherein the toes are maintained in a spread condition exposingthe area therebetween for conditioning.

In accordance with the present invention, a foot conditioner is providedcomprising a housing having at least one and preferably two foot restsadapted to support the feet of a person. Means is provided on each orthe foot rests for maintaining the toes in a spread condition wherebythe areas between the toes are exposed for conditioning. While in thespread condition, the toes are subjected to a stream of heated air for aperiod of time sufficiently to dry the same. Thereafter, a powder,medicated or otherwise, is sprayed onto the toes.

In the apparatus of the invention, the above-described sequence ofoperation is controlled by the person conditioning his feet. That is tosay, by depressing one of the foot rests, means is activated fordirecting the stream of hot air onto the toes. Thereafter, by furtherdepressi g the same foot rest, second means is activated for spraying apowder onto the toes. The present apparatus is provided with circuitmeans operable by depressing the foot rest 3,378,009 Patented Apr. 16,1968 for sequentially activating the warm air directing means and thepowder spraying means. The depressa'ble foot rest is, of course, biasedin a raised or off position in which the apparatus is deactivated.

The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following detialed description by reference tothe accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the foot conditioning apparatus of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 11-11 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IIIIII of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a foot rest;

BIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a nozzle employed tospray a powder; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of a control circuit suitable forcontrolling the apparatus of the invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 to 5, there is shown a foot conditioningapparatus 10 comprising a housing 12 including, in part, a sloped upperwall 14. Supported on the upper wall 14 are foot rests 16, 13 which areadapted to support a left foot and a right foot, as shown. The foot rest16 is rigidly secured to the upper wall 14. The foot rest 18, however,is pivotally supported at its lower end on a pin 20 so that it may bedepressed by a foot 22, shown in dash-dot outline. A spring 24, coiledabout the pin 29, has its opposite ends engaged with the foot rest 18and the upper wall 14. The spring 24 biases the foot rest 18 into araised position which, as will be described, corresponds to the offposition wherein the apparatus is deactivated.

The preferred construction of the foot rest 18 will now be describedwith reference to FIGS. 2 and 4. It is to be understood that the footrest 16 is similarly constructed except for those elements noted. Thefoot rest 18 is preferably formed in a one-piece cast body 26 havingperforated ears 28 (not provided on the foot rest 16) adapted to receivethe pin 26 and an opening 30 cut in its upper wall 32.

A perforated member 34 underlies the opening 39 and is secured to theupper wall 32. The perforate member 34 is formed with u wardly extendingprojections 36 spaced so that the projections will fit between the toesof a foot and thereby maintain the toes in a spread condition as bestshown in FIG. 1. The projections 36 serve to expose the areas betweenthe toes to the drying action of the heated air and for dusting with apowder. The perforate member 34 as well as the projections 36 areadapted to pass heated air and powder (as will be described) and,therefore, are preferably formed from a wire mesh material having goodcorrosion resistance.

The air is preferably supplied by a blower 33 driven by a motor 39, bothof which are disposed within the housing 12. Alternatively, the aircould, instead, be provided by a cylinder of compressed air. A grille 40provided, for example, in the lawer Wall of the housing 12, supplies airfrom exteriorly of the housing 12 to the blower 38. Connected to theoutlet of the blower 38 is a conduit 42 including a horizontal section44, best shown in FIG. 3, which conveys the air to openings 46 (FIG. 2)in the upper wall 14. The air then passes through the opening 46 intohoods 48, 50 which direct the air above and below the foot rests 16, 18.Each of the hoods 48, 50 is provided with a baffle 52 which directs aportion of the air to the upper region of the baflies 48, 50 as shown bythe arrows. Furthermore, each of the hoods 48, 50 is preferably formedin sections and hinged, as at 53, whereby the upper section of the hoods48, 50 may be pivoted backward out of the way to permit thoroughcleaning of the foot rests 16, 18.

The air discharged by the blower 38 is heated, for example, by a heaterelement 54, schematically illustrated in FIG. 2. The heater element 54is preferably of the variable type so that the temperature of the airmay be set in accordance with the desires of the person using theapparatus 10.

The conduit 42 is provided with an opening 56 which is preferablylocated downstream of the heater element 54. A branch conduit 58communicates with the opening '56 and terminates in a cap-like member 60which is adapted to receive, in sealed relation, a container 62 having asupply of powder 64 therein. The container 62 is supported by a springclip 66 after first being inserted into the cap-like member 60. A door67 secured to the rear wall of the housing 12 permits entrance into theinterior of the housing 12 for replenishing the supply of powder 64.

Within the conduit 42, there is provided a flapper 68 which is hinged asat 70 to the conduit 42. The flapper 68 is pivotal between a firstposition wherein it overlies and blocks the opening 56 leading tothe'branch conduit 58 and a second position, shown in dotted lines,wherein it redirects the air from the blower 38 into the branch conduit58 and thence into contact with a bathe 72 secured to the cap-likemember 60, which directs the air downwardly onto the powder 64. Theflapper '68 may be mechanically operated, that is, by linkage meansconnected to the foot rest 18. However, it is preferred that the flapper68 be operated by a solenoid 74, schematically illustrated in FIG. 2, ofthe type which is spring loaded to position the flapper 68 in theaforesaid first position.

The powder 64 is conveyed by the air up through a conduit 76 and intobranch conduits 78, 80. Each of the branch conduits 78, 80 conveys thepowder to a plurality of secondary conduits 82 each of which terminatein a nozzle 84. The nozzles 84 will, of course, spray the powder ontothe areas between the toes.

As stated above, the foot rest 18 is pivotally supported so that it maybe depressed from a normally elevated position corresponding to an offposition; to a drying position wherein the blower 38 and the heaterelement 54 are activated to dry the feet; and then to a dusting positionwherein the air is directed into the container 62 for conveying thepowder 64 to the nozzles 84 and thence onto the feet. A suitable controlcircuit for operating the apparatus is illustrated in FIG. 6.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 6, two switches 86, 88 are mounted on theunderside of the foot rest 18 and positioned for successive actuation bya spring arm 99 supported by the upper wall 14. It should be understoodat this time, that the switch 86 energizes the blower motor 39 while theswitch 88 energizes the solenoid 74.

In FIG. 6, a plug 92 is shown having power conductors 94, 96electrically connected to the blower motor 39. The switch 86 is providedin the conductor 96, for example, to control the energization anddeenergization of the blower motor 39. The heater element 54 iselectrically connected by conductors 98, 100 to the conductors 94, 96. Arheostat 102 is provided in conductor 100, for example, for controllingthe heat output of the heater element 54. Energization of the blowermotor 39 is accompanied by simultaneous energization of the heaterelement 54.

The switch 88 is provided in a conductor 104 which is connected to thesolenoid 74 and to a rectifier 106 which, in turn, is connected to thepower conductors 94, 96. The

switch 88 is closed by the spring arm after the closing of the switch86.

In operation, a person places his foot on the foot rests 16, 18 with theprojections 36 inserted between his toes. The foot rest 18 is depresseduntil the switch 86 is closed, thereby energizing the blower motor 39and the heater element 54. A gentle stream of heated air will issue fromthe conduit 42 and be directed by the hoods 48, 50 onto his toes.

When the user feels that his toes are dry, he further depresses the footrest 18 so as to close the switch 88. This action energizes the solenoid74 which, in turn, pivots the flapper 68 into the dotted-line positionshown in FIG. 2, whereupon the air is directed into the container 62.The stream of air is directed downwardly onto the powder 64 causing aturbulent action to be produced. The powder is thus picked up .by theair and conveyed to the nozzles 84 and thence onto the toes. When asuflicient amount of the powder has been applied, the user releases thefoot rest 18, causing the solenoid 74 to be deenergized and therebyimmediately return the flapper 68 to block the conduit 56. No furtherpowder will be sprayed. Upon releasing the foot rest 18, the blowermotor 39 is also deenergized.

It should be evident that the apparatus 10 of the invention could beprovided with push-button control switches as an alternative to the footoperated switches 86 and 88.

Although the invention has been shown in connection with one specificembodiment, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art thatvarious changes in form and arrangement of parts may be made to suitrequirements without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

I claim:

1. A combined toe drying and powder applying apparatus comprising ahousing, a pair of foot rests supported atop said housing, meanssupporting one of said foot rests for movement by depressing the footsupported thereon, a plurality of projections on each of said foot restspositioned to be inserted between the toes whereby said toes are spreadexposing the areas therebetween, said projections and at least thoseportions of the foot rest beneath the toes being formed from perforatedmaterial, first means for conveying a stream of heated drying fluidthrough said foot rest onto said toes, comprising a blower, firstconduit means connected to the outlet of said blower and extendingthrough openings in said upper wall beneath said foot rest, and meansadjacent said conduit means for heating the drying fluid as it flowsthrough said conduit means, hood means surrounding said openings in saidupper wall for directing a portion of said heated drying fluid onto thetop of the toes, a container carried within said housing, a supply ofpowder in said container, said conduit means communicating at one of itsends with the interior of said container and terminating at its oppositeends in a plurality of nozzles residing in said projections, means fordirecting said drying fluid into said container whereby said powder isconveyed through said second conduit means to said nozzles for sprayingonto said toes, and circuit means including switch means operable bydepressing said foot rest for sequentially activating said blower andsaid directing means as desired whereby the toes are initially dried andthen dusted with said powder. i

2. Apparatus for drying and medicating a foot comprising, incombination,

a footrest having air-permeable projections serving to separate the toesof the foot, means for directing heated air through said air-permeableprojections to a portion of said foot in the vicinity of said toes, andmeans operable after the operation of said means for directing heatedair for directing a medication in the 5 6 form of a powder suspended inair to said portion of which only said means for directing heated air isoperaid f tive and then to a third position in which said means for 3.Apparatus as defined in claim 2, said combination directing a medicationis Operativefurther comprising switch means for actuating sequentiallyfirst the said means for directing heated air and then 5 References cuedthe said means for directing a medication. UNITED STATES PATENTS 4.Apparatus as defined in claim 3, characterized in 381 238 3/1908 H b o k123 264 that said switch means is operated by motion of said foot-2,740,207 4/ 1956 Starensier 12881 rest about a pivot from a firstposition in which both said 3,130,726 4/ 1964 Rich 128-265 means fordirecting heated air and said means for direct- 10 v ing a medicationare inoperative to a second position in ADELE EAGER Pi'lmary Emmmer-

